Prince Oblivion
by LittleCrazyRedHead
Summary: Prince Joshua is 19 and already concerned about his people. Most of his time is spent over thinking and trying to figure out how things play out before it happens...but when 35 girls come to 'visit' he is put to the test. Joshua is not ready for his selection, but he is going to do it anyway. SYOC open.
1. Spacey prince

**So I started this before the announcement of the Heir. I love Eadlyn, she is a mixture of her parents perfectly. But I also loved the character I made, so I want to get Joshua's story going. This is an SYOC, the form is going to be on my page so if you interested head over there and check it out. And please review OC I am going to accept, but I would like it if you want a former 8 that was merged into 7 please PM me. I would like to keep those as a surprise. Next there are four chapters before all the girls are needed. So good luck and I'm looking forward to seeing some girls.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the Selection.**

 **Chapter 1: Spacey Prince**

Things are moving pretty slowly with the caste elimination. Eights have finally merged into the sevens and have been sevens for about three years now. The people are still trying to get used to it though. We've never expected them to accept this quickly. It's a sudden change of life style for the former eights. They are so used to fighting to survive and doing anything to live. Now that they are sevens and getting support in adjusting; they are struggling, just like I would if I was taken from my life in the palace and placed in a far north providence as a six. I'm so used to sixes buzzing around me, doing pretty much everything. I don't really have to lift a finger if I chose to. But laziness will only cause my body to break down and that will only be bad for me and the people of Illéa. Who wants a fat and lazy person serving them? I wouldn't, but I'm a bit bias.

"Earth to Josh. Wake up and come back to us." I blink a few times and see my sister waving her hand right in front of me. She has red hair similar to mother's, but it's a bit orange with the blonde influence in it from father.

"Hey, sorry. I was thinking." I tell her as I notice her blue pale dress. Something important is happening today; my sister is wearing a dress and has her hair up in a bun. Normally, she's in a pant suit and her hair hangs free around her shoulders. "What's the special occasion?" I ask as she rolls her blue eyes at me.

"You forgot, didn't you?" She mocks me with a smirk. I guess I did. I sigh and run a hand through my hair.

"I guess I did." I confess and she punches me in the arm. "Ouch, Quinn." I rub my arm and we both laugh.

"Come on Josh, we both know that didn't hurt." She says as I get up off the ground. Today I found myself in the library sitting in the corner behind a shelf of books. I don't understand how or when I got here, I just did. Quinn stands up and moves out of the way so she can lead me out of the dark library.

"It's not Friday, is it?" I ask moving on.

"No, I think even Mister Oblivious would have notice the scatter of maids." Quinn says as we get through the doors and met the dead quiet hallway. "Still don't understand." I nod and she just shakes her head. "Mom and dad have special guests over for dinner." I remember now.

"Queen Nicoletta is here." I laugh at myself and she loops her arm through mine. "I forgot."

"I know." We both laugh as we walk through the dead hall. Normally when visiting royalty comes, the palace is a mess. But the queen of Italy comes to relax and spend time with mom when she's here. Something stressful must be going on there. "So… what were you thinking about now?"

"The Caste systems." I tell her without much thought and she nods.

"Yeah, there's a lot of stuff to think about." She says as we reach the private dining room for just my family and some close friends. Quinn stops us and turns and looks at me. "You look like you were riding through a storm." She states before readjusting my blue tie, flattening my shirt and rearranging my hair. This is the rare motherly side of her. Normally, she wouldn't care how things look. She's tomboy. "There, you look like the prince of Illéa."

"That's a good thing then." We both smile before I open the door for her. Inside we are greeted to Queen Nicoletta asking for more wine. She's going to drink herself into a stupor again. We walk into the room and I notice everyone already here, eating without me. I don't care though. Sometimes, I forget to show up. At the head of the table as always is my father, he is trying hard not to looks bored with Nicoletta. He is so used to her by now. Then there is my mother and her firry red hair hanging around her face with a huge smile on her lips at the new story Nicoletta is telling. She is sitting at the other end of the table with a wine glass in her and a fork in the other. She hasn't changed since the day I met her. Same tan skin and same loud and excited personality. That woman has pretty much always has a glass or bottle in her hand. That woman can handle a lot of alcohol. I then notice little Mona next to mom eating with her booster seat and hands on her food. My father is the first to notice me. He nods and goes to stand up. That causes my mother and Nicoletta to turn and look.

"There is the ever missing Prince." She laughs as she sets her fork and glass down and comes over to us and Quinn goes to her seat.

"Queen Nicoletta, it's a pleasure to see you here again." Normally, I would go to kiss the hand of the woman I'm greeting, but she is different. Nicoletta envelops me into a hug and she kisses my cheeks.

"Yes, I missed my favorite red hair fox." She laughs as she pulls away from me and loops her arm in mine and has me walk her to her seat. I can smell the wine heavily on her now. "I couldn't bear to be away from her any longer." I nod and help her into her seat again and push her chair in. "Thank you darling." That's when I look up at my father, who is standing there waiting for something.

"Yes, dad?" I ask him before going to my seat.

"I need to talk with you in the lounge. We will be taken our meal in there." I nod in understanding.

"Alright." I say before going over and kissing mom's cheek. "Sorry I was late." I tell her as Mona paws at me.

"It's alright." She whispers to me. "It's your father you need to apologies to." She was with a wink. I hold in a laugh before turning to the fast growing two year old.

"Yes, Mona?" I ask quietly.

"Hi." She says before giggling. I pat her on her bright red hair.

"Hello." I say before following dad out of the room and back into the hallway. Once the door shuts, he sighs and runs his hand through his hair. He's where I get it from.

"Where she find you this time?" Dad asks un-amused before leading me down to the lounge.

"In the far left corner of the library." I answer and he nods. "I was thinking about the caste system."

"What about?" My dad is used to me and how I think.

"About how the former eights feel now. It must be a huge culture shock to them." I state as I look off into space again. "They are being treated like humans now and are probably so confused by it." I state.

"Hey, don't leave me just yet. We haven't even got to the lounge." My dad says as he shakes my shoulder.

"I'm not leaving you, just thinking back." I tell him as I turn and look at him. "It would be similar for me turning into a six for a while and treated terribly." I add.

"Expect it's the complete opposite." I shake my head.

"No, it's not really." I correct him. "It's really more similar than you think. I'm used to a certain life style, everything done for me and all that. And it's all done by sixes. Most of the things I've read were all about how badly they've been treated in the providences and it would have more of a culture shock for me that would be equal to their shock." My dad thinks for a moment and then agrees.

"I guess if you look at it that way." He states as we get to the lounge door and I open it for him and let him walk in first.

"I'm sorry I was late again." I state before shutting the door and finding my dad already lighting up a cigar and offering me one. I decline. Normally I don't smoke, but when their diplomats or someone similar, I don't turn it down. It would be rude, but I still only take one puff. It tastes nasty. I sit down in the normal arm chair I sit in next to the unused fire place.

"I had to be in there as Nicoletta talks about things I would rather not know." He says as he sits down in the arm chair in front of me. "I'm just glad that Mona doesn't understand." I nod and look at the empty fireplace.

"Fortunately, I'm never there." I state and my dad agrees.

"I am too. The things she talks about I didn't find out until after I was married." He says before snapping his fingers and making me look at him. "I need to talk with you, Joshua. So please pay attention." Dad says before setting his cigar down in the ash tray and leaning toward me and the table between us. "You just turned 19." He states. "When I was your age my father had me start my selection." I nod. I expected this to come, but really hoped to push it back. "I want to do the same with you."

"Is there any way we can push it back until I'm 20?" I ask. "I don't think I'm ready." Dad shakes his head no.

"I didn't think I was ready, until after it was all done." He says firmly. "I can't postpone everything, son." Dad pushes one of the folders on the table towards me. "This is one I can't." I pick up the folder and see a form inside. Basic questions to find out about a person, Hypothetically. You don't know the person by reading a piece of paper. You have to talk with them.

"The selection form, why?" I ask him not understanding.

"I wasn't prepared for mine. My father gave me a chance to look over the girls before the report and I decided not to and it made me nervous." I look up at him when I got to the third page.

"You get nervous?" I joke before looking back at the forms.

"Quiet." He says with a hint of a smile. "And yes I was. I didn't see any of the girls that night and I panicked the rest of the time." Dad admits. "And knowing you, you need to be prepared."

"Then I ask again. Why show me the form?" I ask him.

"You need to see the form and be familiar with it." I nod in agreement as I look at the last page.

"You can't learn a girl over a few questions she asks." I state. "This is really pointless."

"It's so I'm aware of it mainly. You don't have to look at the girls forms, but it would be the best so you have some understanding. You haven't really been around girls before." Dad informs me.

"What about Veronica? She's a girl." I tell him. Quinn doesn't count because she's blood.

"Veronica is different because she's known you all your life, you're nothing exciting to her. These girls will be fighting over you." Dad explains as I put everything back in there places.

"Sounds terrifying, can't Quinn just do the selection. She's the oldest." I ask as I lean back in the chair and see dad's smoking again.

"No. Quinn doesn't want the crown." He says in between a puff of smoke. "Plus, It's tradition for the prince to succeed the king. You are the most fit."

"But I don't think I can handle 35 young ladies in the palace really fighting over me." I tell him with a little fear. "Please just postpone it."

"No. I'm not budging." He says while looking at his cigar. "You will have to do it." When dad says that then there is no fighting him. I really don't want his anger towards me right now anyway.

"Fine, when will it take place?" I ask in a bored tone and I turn and lay with one of my legs on the arm of the chair and slouch.

"In a month." Dad says and I groan.

"A month?! You're not planning on dying are you?" I ask a bit sarcastically. "I don't think I'm ready to get married and become king just yet." Dad sighs and looks at me bored.

"My case was a special one. My parents died and there needed to be a king. That's the only reason why your mother and I got married quickly." He says before blowing out smoke.

"No, I heard it that you were king within hours of their death and you married mom so she could become queen and that you too couldn't wait." I state and I see my dad smirk with the cigar in his mouth.

"That too, but you would too if things happen the way for you as it did for your mother and I." I shut my eyes and rest my hands on my stomach.

"I don't know. Mom is a pretty unique woman." I state and dad laughs.

"Yes she is." He says before moving on. "Now, take the form. It's not final. I know there are certain things you might want to know about these ladies, so write them in where you want them and give it back to me in a week so we can finalize it and get them ready to send out."

"Yeah, okay." I sigh. "This is the last think I want to do." I mumble. "I don't think I'll live through this, dad."

"I did, your grandfather did, and many more before him did. So you will have to do it to." He's right, but I don't really want to.

"Can't I just give the throne to Mona. I'm sure you will change the rules by the time she's 19." I suggest half heartedly and Dad just laughs.

"No, I don't think the people will be able to handle much more than what we're already planning on doing, son." I groan and look at him.

"Getting rid of the castes will cause a stir." I agree with him. That's when there is a knock on the door.

"Come in." Dad says clearly and a maid comes in with a cart with our food on it. She curtsies before setting the trays down and removing the lids. "Thank you Bethany." My dad says that because of mom, he's learned that it's important to know the names of the people working with and for you. From what I heard, the selection really changed my dad's life, not just my mom's.

 **So there's the first chapter. I hope you like Josh!**


	2. Forms and Marriage

**I want to thank SkaterGirl, Techicallyelectrictrash, Zaden4eva,** **XOStarbrightXO** **, She-who-has-not-been-named,** **White Wolf123, and rreesiecup for submitting girl…young ladies, as Josh would want me to say, already.**

 **Disclaimer:I don't own the Selection.**

 **Chapter 2: Forms and Marriage**

"So you're dad wants you to come up with questions to ask the girls that could be your wife." I nod as I stare outside the window at the melting snow. "That's not a very smart thing for him to ask of you." She says before laughing.

"Tell me about." I groan as I turn and look over to her. Veronica is my closest friend. I would really be lost without her. "He wouldn't even consider postponing it." I complain as I watch her lay on my bed looking through the papers.

"Well, you aren't getting any younger." She states. "How old are you now? 30?" I laugh a little bit at that. Veronica is really a different girl. She may be able to dress and act like a girl, but she's a complete tomboy. Sometimes she even gets insulted when she's called a girl. Its quiet humorous. Especially since her mother is who she is. Right now she's sprawled out on my bed. Lying on her back with her knees up and her brown hair everywhere. I swear I find it on me when I'm not around her.

"So you're saying your 31?" I ask and I get one of my pillows thrown at me.

"You ass." She laughs as I grab it. "But seriously, your 19 and I'm surprised that you hadn't asked him last year. You always think about the future and stuff."

"I think the part about 35 girls in the palace at one time frightens me." I state as I use the pillow as a cushion to lean back on instead of the wall itself.

"I'll make sure they don't eat you alive." She promises. "Plus I think I would enjoy spending time with a bunch of girls and spying on them." She adds and I believe her comment better.

"I was about to ask when have you actually liked hanging around girls." I joke and another pillow is thrown at me.

"I like it sometimes." She defends. "But Anyway, back to the forms. Let's think about some questions to ask. This form is boring. You can't know a girl without asking what her favorite things are and stuff."

"I don't think I will get to know anyone by a piece of paper." I explain.

"But this will help." She says before she gets up and walks over to my desk that is closest to the window seat I'm sitting in and grabs a pencil and sits down and writes.

"My dad knows your hand writing. He'll know I didn't ask them." I tell her as I try to look at what she's writing. Veronica just pushes my head away from her and keeps writing.

"I think he meant for me to do this." She says. "This is your dad we're talking about." Then things are quiet, so I just look out the window. I wonder how this is going to be like. I've read some journals of selections in the past and looked at the pictures and read up on articles, but things never go as planned. Last time, dad had to cut everything short and send everyone home expect six and cut the number of elites. The time before that, there was constant rebel attacks and out cries about things being unfair for the south. So my grandfather's had to be rushed too. I just wonder how different mine will be. Will there be a lot of rebel attacks? Will our fragile, temporary treaty with new Asia last long enough before the selection is over and we can work on the seven devolving. One thing New Asia didn't like is our caste system. They were please to hear my father's plan on how to go about it, but it takes time and more support. It's hard to believe how many people like tradition in this country. Similar to New Asia, but the caste system is just un-fair, even for them. I wonder how long the treaty will last and if we could make it more stable before the caste system project is finished. It would solve a lot of worry and stress that is on all the officials here. We really need to focus on the rebels too. They really don't like to be over looked while we try to focus on the caste system and New Asia. I wonder if we could get the southern subdued long enough so we can host the emperor and his son over here and show them our progress. Seeing is believing after all. "Josh." I feel a hand collide with my face and I 'wake up'. I blink and look at an amused Veronica. "I'm finished." She says as she hands me the papers and sits on the window seat with me, but against the other wall. I look over at the questions she wrote in. What is your favorite food, color? How many siblings do you have? And the list of questions go on.

"I don't see the point in asking this." I state before looking up at her bored face.

"How well do you know me, Josh?" She asks evenly and I narrow my eyes.

"Very well. We grew up together." I state confused.

"What's my favorite color?" She ask quickly.

"Green." I state.

"What's my favorite food?" I'm not sure where this is going.

"You like strawberries."

"How many siblings do I have?"

"One." She begins rattling off question after question and I answer all of them correctly.

"Now, you have two siblings. You love hamburgers, but you only can eat them when you are at my house because the palace doesn't serve things like that. Your favorite color is silver…" She starts rambling on and I have to cut her off.

"I get it, we know each other well. But we're childhood friends. You're like a brother to me." I state and she just looks at me. "I don't understand the point."

"These are the questions you would want to ask them in person. Who would really want to marry someone they didn't know. Most of the time when you date someone, it's one at a time to get to know them. You don't have that chance, so it's best to have them write it down so you can refer to it later when it comes to a date with them and you really can't figure out if it's Jenny form Columbia or Jenni from Zuni." Now it makes sense. There is just too many to keep track of and this is the best way to do it.

"Thanks." I set the forms on the desk and just stare out the window again. The garden will be just blooming when this thing starts. "Are you even sure girls would even sign up? I'm not really the best looking person around."

"Just shut up. Many girls are dying to get into your pants. And not because you're the prince." I shake my head at her choice of words. "You have you're father's hair and your mother's skin and eyes. Blonde hair blue eyes, who wouldn't love you?" She asks.

"You." I state and she laughs hard.

"I love you, Josh. But like you said I'm more of a brother to you." She jokes before we both stare at the window.

"It's going to be a lot different around here. Are you going to be able to handle not being the only girl in my life?" I ask her seriously.

"Oh I think I can manage. And if I really need to, I can escape to my boyfriend's for a while." She sighs as I go back into deep thought. 35 young ladies are going to be here and one of them is going to be my wife. That's going to be stressful for both of us. Maybe I should ask dad how he took care of the first couple cuts and move from there. I get to focus into my thoughts that I feel Veronica slap me again. I blink a few times and look at her. That's when I notice the alarm and stand up. Rebel attack. I grab her hand and the file on the desk and the door to my room opens.

"Prince Joshua." It's officer Leger, mom's most trusted guard. I run up to him with Veronica's hand in mine and he notices her the moment we come around the big bed. "Lady Veronica, we need to hurry, they're already inside." He says as I get to him and run past him into the hall and to the right. This is the closest passage to the basement. I pull Veronica closer to me and pull her under my arm. I know full well that she's more than capable to handle herself, but I still don't want her to have to. Her father taught her since she was two how to shot guns. She is even better than most of the soldiers we have here, but since she's a woman, she can't become a soldier. An explosion goes off from the floor or two below us and it makes us stumble a little bit, before getting to the wall. Officer Leger pushes the lamp button and the wall moves and I have to drag Veronica down the stairs.

"But I can fight, Josh." She protests in the door way.

"Just shut up." I snap before looking at the officer. "Thank you and good luck." Then I pull her hard into the stairs and half drag her to the basement.

"I'm a better mark than all of them." She complains; she's used to me when I'm being firm.

"But the last thing I want to do is lose you up there." I tell her as we descend. "I can't lose you over some stupid rebel attack."

"How sweet." She replies sarcastically. "My prince is worried about little old me." I can pretty much hear roll her eyes next to me. Eventually, she stops fighting and I let her run in front of me. These stairs just had to be long. Above us I hear things exploding and breaking and guns going off. This stair well isn't very well designed. One rebel comes in here and everyone has a high chances of dying. There's nothing to trick them or lead them astray. It's pretty much find the pathways, find the royal family. And their main goal is to kill my parents and take Quinn and use her body and kidnap Mona and brain wash her as she grows up. Later she'll be used as leverage if things didn't work out well. Me, they just want to kill me. In the past there were two different attacks. One they simple stole things, like in like an annoying pest. The other was a little bit tamer version of today's attack. Now they try to sneak in as far as they can to the third floor and kill either me or my parents. Then they go and look for my sisters. "Joshua." Again, I get slapped and when I come out of my thoughts, we're at the bottom and the safe room is in front of us. Two guards are standing in their posts. Officer Avery and Woodwork.

"Officers, thank you for your speed." I thank them as they both look relived to see us. Inside the room, it set up like normal. There are some beds along the wall and five chairs in the center of the room with some chairs along the side with some extra cots in the storage room next to the bathroom in the back corner. Mona is the first to run up to us, but she hugs Veronica instead.

"Hey!" She giggles. "I missed you." She says in her soft voice. Veronica just laughs and pick up the little princess and places her on her hip.

"I missed you too." She says. Mona has rarely been afraid of these attacks. Mom and dad tried to explain it to her, but I'm not sure if she is just too young to understand or has a huge amount of child like faith. Something I admire in the little one. "But I'm back now and we can play."

"Yay! I like playing with you." Mona giggles as we reach my mother and father. My mother stands up and just gives me a hug. It's obvious she's shorter than me right now as her head rests on my chest.

"I'm just glad Veronica was with you." She says as she pulls away. I have a habit of spacing out when I think and when I do, it's hard to break my line of thought unless someone touches me or something. I didn't even think I heard alarm today.

"I am too, mom." I kiss her head out of respect as I take my seat on the other side of dad, who is looking over some folders he brought down. "Sorry I'm late. But can I help?" My dad nods and I set my selection folder down and pick up one of his and open it. It's some paper work about the latest census. It states how many people are in each providence and then breaks it down to how many in each castes . There is 0 in the 8 caste now and triple the amount of 7s now. Seeing the numbers in front of me I know that 40% of our people were made up of 8s. That's huge. Then lastly there is a total of how many of each caste of girls that in between the ages of 16 and 20. 3,000 girls… total… I didn't think of that. And only 35 will be coming here. 35 of the most beautiful girls out of the 3,000. I don't think I want to even read 1,000 if the forms in a week.

"What's wrong?" dad asks as he looks over the side of my folder to see the paper. Then he laughs. "One of those girls is going to be your wife." He says as I shut the folder and put it back in the stack.

"I think I'm done. That's just way too much to take in and count and read. Why do you guys do this to yourselves? I'm perfectly find marrying a foreigner's daughter in an arrange marriage." Then the thought hits me. "The emperor has three daughters, right? I'll marry one of them and seal the deal with new Asia. Then the war threat goes away and we can all live peacefully." I suggest. My dad looks at me as my mother laughs.

"You really want to throw away a chance to make 35 girls happy?!" she asks as she looks at my father. "Has he evens seen the three daughters?"

"You don't want to have to wake up next to them every morning son." He says as he breaks out in laughter. "No, you're going to go through with this whether you want to or not."

"But dad." I groan as my sister chimes in.

"Plus they are already married off. You can't have someone else's property." Quinn says as she fans herself with a fan that she must have brought down with her. Property…

"But look at the potentially. Marrying a blonde hair, blue eyed prince from Illéa." I motion to myself. "I'm strong and dependable on top of it. Who wouldn't want their daughter to marry me? I'm even willing! I'm sure the others can't say that!" I plead as I boast about myself. A trait I rarely do. All three just look at me and burst out laughing. Despite the situation upstairs, I think we are pretty calm.

"Don't try to sell yourself to us, dear." Mom says as she pats my knee. "Convince the 35 other ladies that in a month." She says before smiling a knowing smile. "Or you could ask someone to join so you can just choose her." What? I just look at her confused as the others calm down.

"She's talking about Veronica, dummy." Quinn states boredly and I just gag.

"You want me to marry her?!" I ask grossed out. Veronica is my best friend. It's like suggesting to marry Quinn to me. "Oh God, what's wrong with you." Mom touches her hand to the cheek Veronica slapped like three times in the last thirty minutes. I paw her hand away and look at the girl holding my little sister. "That thought is just plain wrong."

"We all know you like each other." Quinn says as she turns and looks at the two girls in the corner. "Isn't that right?" She suddenly calls out and they both look over. "Why don't you enter the selection and marry my brother? You both will be happy with that." We watch her face pale before to covers her mouth and gag a little bit.

"I think I just puked a little." We barely hear her as Mona is looking so confused. They were coloring at a table and talking quietly. She looks at the girl and says something to her before walking over to us. "That's just a sick thing to say. Just look at him." She gestures to me and I'm offended.

"Hey, I'm not that bad." I fight back before she just looks at me bored.

"You are that bad. I need someone that can stay focused on me before starring off and start thinking stuff that's way too deep for me." I concede to that point.

"You do need a lot of attention." I slip in as I look back over at my little sister in the corner. That's when Veronica shoves my shoulder. "Just be glad that Silvia isn't in here, she would be horrified you're touching me violently." I comment as I sit back up straight.

"Oh whatever." She rolls her eyes. "I really couldn't care less about what that lady has to say. I'm going to treat you however I want too."

"See your perfect for each other." Quinn states as my mother smiles harder. Oh God, can't they stop it already. I glance at dad and see he just started working again.

"Can you get them to stop before I have to puke?" I ask in a fake pained voice. "It's like asking me to marry Quinn. That's how gross it is." Dad looks over his folder at us.

"You either do the selection or marry Veronica. Those are your choices." He says before looking at the folder again.

"The selection." Veronica and I say together and both mom and Quinn laugh.

 **So chapter two is up. Anyone like Veronica? I thought it would be fun to add some flare to Joshua's life. Keep up the girls and I can't wait!**


	3. Explaining Bruises

**So this is two days later than expected, oh well. A bunch of girls have been submitted. Thank you to the readers who gave me one. Now 12 girls total so for. Almost half way, and I need so snotty, spoiled girls. They don't need to be from two. Any caste can have snotty girls. And I also need some fours. That's the only caste I haven't got a girl from. So please if you're interested, that's what I need. Unique girls always welcomed. Pm me if you have questions. I don't bite. That's my sister's job.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the Selection.**

 **Chapter three: Explaining… bruises**

Today, my dad asked me about my thoughts on the whole alliance with New Asia and Italy and my ideas on how to strengthen and actually build them. I didn't know how to explain it. So I simply said found what they like and give it to them. That didn't go over well. The delegate looked at me for a moment and then argued with me and told me that isn't possible. We don't have any extra money because everything is going to the former 8s for support. It's not what I meant. I can never explain things right. What I meant was to talk with them, actually invite the leaders here and talk with them and find out more about them. We have never done that with New Asia. They only see us as a country that they used to own. They see us as weak and childish. If we can just show them some diplomacy, act like adults, maybe we will get a better understanding of things. And for Italy… I think mom has that handled. Dad only asked because it is a young alliance. I punch the bag in front of me hard again. After the meeting, I came into the gym and started punching the punching bag to relieve some stress. Why can't I explain anything right? I punch the hanging bag with my other hand as hard as I can and I push the guy holding it for me.

"Sorry." I mumble before I hear something hard drop on the floor from behind. I turn and see Veronica has beaten another opponent. She likes to do mix martial arts in her spare time. That girl is an extreme tomboy sometimes. Veronica offers her hand to the guy she just beat and help him up.

"Good job, Jonathan." She says with a smile and a cut lip. "You got me a few good times." Jonathan is a new solider here and she is helping him train when she can.

"Yeah, but you still won." He says as he stands up now. It's funny how a little girl like her can take on someone almost twice her height.

"Time." She says before looking at me. "You ready for a few swings?" I shake my head.

"I have the report tonight, remember. Mom will kill me if I get bruised or cut." Veronica waves her hand at me as Jonathan bows to me and leaves the ring.

"Just a few back and fourths. What could hurt?" She pushes and I sigh and look around the room. There are soldiers in here working out and all of them give me and Veronica our space out of respect. There are a few helping us though.

"Fine." I sign and walk over to her and into the ring. "But no face shots. I think my mother might lose it with you." She scoffs at me now.

"Queen America loves me. It's my own mother who will have a fit with me if I let your little princely face get blemished." She replies sarcastically before she bends her knees a little and we start. She and I have been sparing since we were kids. Veronica told me that a man must be able to protect his wife, and so I started working out. Dad had noticed it and came along side of me and helped me. Now I'm just a little bit better than her because of my strength. She's faster though. We are dead even for a little bit before she has me in a choke hold. "Give up. There's no point struggling." She taunts as only the new soldiers bat an eye to us. It's just their prince in a headlock being choked. But I trust Veronica not to hurt me too much. That's when I hear the door open and she gets a bit distracted. So I take the chance to elbow her in the stomach and get her to completely let go. That's when I get my arms under her arm pits and link my fingers on the back of her head, get her into a full nelson. "Only because I couldn't get your damn hand." Veronica mumbles before calling it.

"Don't get distracted then." I joke before seeing the new comer. "Hey Dad." I wave at him as Veronica gets a chance to bow.

"So this is where you ran off too." He says before approaching the ring. "Mom told me she hasn't seen you since breakfast."

"I came right here after the meeting." I briefly explain before walking over to him and start unwinding the white tape on my knuckles. "Does she need me?" I ask as I focus on this.

"No. She just wanted me to see how you were doing." He says as I look around the room. "It seems like you've gotten faster at beating lady Veronica."

"He only won because you came in." She protests as she walks over and does the same. "I'm still better than him." I roll my eyes at that comment.

"You shouldn't let yourself get distracted when you're in the ring. You told me this so many times." I remind her.

"Please, that's because you like to space off when you think. Completely different to the king of your country just entered the room and you know it." I shrug.

"It also doesn't help when you just think of him as dad." I point out.

"Then that wasn't a fair fight." She says firmly. "You own me a rematch."

"But before that. I want to go a round with him." We both look at my dad confused.

"What?" I ask him. "But you don't spar. You only lift weights." I remind him.

"I think it would be fun." Dad looks around and a soldier who just got in here stops in front of him. "Hold this." He says as he pulls his tie and suit jacket off. The soldier doesn't complain as he takes the clothes. "Come on, son. Show me how well you fight." I stare at him as he pushes me into the ring.

"I don't think we should do this, dad." I plead. "The report is in a few hours and…"

"It's fine." He says as he moves to get in a boxing stance. "Just want to try it out."

"So we're boxing?" I ask quietly.

"That's what I know how to do." Dad says with a smile before I bend my knees a bit.

"Fine." I roll my eyes and we begin. Last time I fought dad, it was five years ago and I got a huge bruise on my arm from it. We both claim we don't know how it gets there. I begin to imagine what this exercise is going to leave. The first few he sends at me, I duck or dodge and I try to get him back, but he does the same.

"So explain to me what your plan was again for New Asia." Dad asks as I'm busy ducking I stand back up confused and he goes to hit me again.

"Hey, let me think." I snap as I duck.

"Don't think. Just tell me." He says as I move to the side and avoid his fist.

"Get to know them and give them what they want." I state vaguely again as I dodge his fist again.

"Explain." Dad barks as I try and focus on his hands.

"You know, get to know them. They don't know anything about us." I state as I barely miss his knuckles by inches.

"We've done that. So I'm not sure what you're saying, son." Dad tells me as if trying to punch me is a normal way of having a conversation. "We have gone over there many times to talk with them. The emperor doesn't budge one way or another." Dad's fist connect with my ear as I try to dodge him

"Because he sees us as kids." I stammer out as I hold my ear for a second.

"What?" Dad asks as he returns his arms up to his face.

"He sees us as kids." I repeat. "We used to be under his families rule, dad." I state as I shake the pain off and hold up a defensive stance again.

"We've been a country for a while, Joshua." Dad reminds me before going to swing at me again.

"Doesn't matter. We used to be owned by china. They see us as a child that ran away. And who wants to talk with a rebellious kid?" I ask as I'm able to get some throws out before I have to duck.

"No one." Dad agrees.

"Then why would he want to agree to a country that is just a kid?" I right before getting decked in the side of the head and it snaps to the side. "Damn that hurt." I mumble as I rub my jaw.

"But we've been ruling Illéa for a century and a half. We're not young." Dad says unfazed by my pain and spinning head.

"But you still see Quinn and I as kids even though we're adults. Grandma still sees mom as a kid and she's married with three kids of her own." I point out before actually swinging at him and connecting with his ear. Dad's head turns to the side and he just shakes it off and we begin again.

"I see." He says.

"Then we need to get to know him." I tell him again. "Talk with him, here, in Illéa. Show him who we are and our assets." I tell him before missing his head again.

"It's not safe to bring him over here." Dad points out. That's true, but we should be able to make it safe even for a small window of time. That's when dad's fist hits me right in the face, left eye to be exact, and I stumble back a bit stunned.

"Talk with your friends about that." I mumble before rubbing my eye and getting back into stance. "Have them in extra force for a week or so when the emperor and his son is here." I state before connecting with his nose head on. Dad stumbles back now and holds his nose. Oh crap, I broke it. I walk over to him and someone hands me a towel. I quickly put it under his bleeding nose and hold it there. "I am so sorry. I thought you would duck." I stumble over my words as I help dad regain his balance and he starts laughing.

"Wow, you've got quite an arm there, Joshua." His voice sounds a bit nasally at the moment because of the towel.

"I'm so sorry." I apologies again and dad shakes his head.

"It's fine." Dad waves it all off before a soldier come over and checks him out. I hit him right on the bridge of the nose and its all red.

"Well, it's swollen and there's a break in the middle of the bridge, your highness. We should get you to doctor Steve." The soldier says. Dad just leans forward and breathes through his mouth.

"Can we avoid calling him?" He asks quietly and the soldier looks around at the others in the room and finds Officer Avery.

"My king, it will be best to get medical treatment, regardless if her majesty finds out. We could walk over there for a more discreet approach." Officer Avery says firm, but respectfully. My dad looks at me and sighs.

"Great, then I don't want anyone of you breathing a word to this to anyone. That's an order." Dad commands in a weird nasally voice and it's hard not to laugh.

"Yes, your majesty. We will just tell her that you are the best one to speak with about the event that took place." Officer Avery promises for everyone in the room. Meanwhile, Veronica walks up to me and sighs.

"Well, you just messed up the king's face." She states bluntly and I groan and look at her annoyed.

"You think?!" I snap and she rolls her eyes.

"Your mother is going to be pissed at you." She gloats and I feel the erg to hit something. "But it was a pretty damn good reflex." Veronica adds before fluffing her pony tail. "Well that was beautiful, but I'll be seeing you. Mom wants me ready to go before the queen tonight to go over some details with her and stuff like that." She says before walking off to go get cleaned up. By now, dad is up and brushing himself off and his nose has cleared up.

"Good hit." He says as I notice some blood on his shirt. "Now let's go before you mother sees us." I nod quickly before following him and Officer Avery out of the room and down towards the medical wing. After about a moment of silences, dad talks again. "So what do you mean by my friends?" He asks casually.

"Georgina and her husband August. Aren't they helping with the rebels?" I ask and dad slowly nods.

"How did you know?" He asks quietly.

"I pay more attention than you think." I tell him. "I didn't think it was a secret, though."

"It's not really one, it's just not talked about. They are rebels too." He admits and I just look at him. I didn't know that. "They were the ones who liked to steal the books in the secret library." I nod.

"That's explains a lot." I sigh as we follow Officer Avery.

"Now, I agree with your idea." Dad suddenly says and I look at him confused. "I could ask August see if we could host the Emperor here for a week. It might be hard to figure it out, but I think it will work." What really? He actually likes my idea? "You have great ideas, but you need to work on explaining yourself, Joshua. As a king you will need both." I nod.

"I understand that, but it's going to be a lot of work. I can't talk like you, mom and the delegates and everyone else." I complain. "Again, another reason why Quinn is better for ruling." Dad shakes his head in disagreement.

"No, you'll do just fine. You stop and think about things more than most people. No one thought about hosting the emperor here because of the rebel attacks. But will August's help, it will go smoother." Dad tries to explain to me. "You are able to look at a problem and see it from all sides, and if you can't, you learn more about the other side."

"But shouldn't everyone do that? It's only common sense." I state as I look at the polished white tile floor.

"Not really. Most people only look at their side of things and judge things based on that." Dad corrects me as I remain silent. Another one of those talks from dad. A talk telling me that I'm the best choice for ruling. "That is a great trait to have for a king. I don't even have it."

"But you are already a great king. I'm sure you will be fine without me." I wave him off and he just gives me a stern look.

"Things happen that we don't plan. You need to stop avoiding this and just accept that you will be king when mom and I step down from the throne or die defending it." I remain quiet after that comment. His parents, Grandfather Clarkson and Grandmother Amberly died together. She took the first bullet to protect him during the engagement ceremony for dad's selection. An honorable death. "I expected to have at least ten years before being king. But I became king within six months of my 19th birthday." Dad was an only child so he didn't get to push off responsibilities to the other kid. Quinn and I do that all the time. If there's something we doing like doing, we give it to the other and pick up some task they need to do in exchange for it.

"I'm just scared that I will be so consumed with my thoughts that I miss too much and get a lot of people in trouble because of it or not being able to explain myself correctly and have people do the wrong things and cause problems. I don't think I can handle making calls quickly and risking a lot." I admit to him as if Officer Avery isn't near us. "I don't think I can handle it." Dad nods.

"I have that problem too, but your mother helps me through it." I groan and roll my eyes.

"And here're the roundabout way the selection is involved with all of this." I remarked sarcastically.

"Yes, it is." Dad smiles a little bit as I see there's some blood on his teeth too. "That's why you need a wife. She'll be there to support you and make sure you are in line." He laughs a little bit. "And too keep you calm. You wouldn't have to get married to her right after the selection is over, but you might want too." Dad gives me a wink that I don't understand the meaning behind it so I just look at him blankly. That just makes him laugh more. "That's right; you weren't paying attention during that conversation."

"What conversation?" I ask. "I don't remember any conversation about the selection before this." I tell him and dad shakes his head.

"You're a man now, Joshua. When you look at Veronica, what goes through your head?" he asks and I raise an eyebrow.

"Nothing." I state a bit confused. "She's there and we hang out."

"What about when you're in the gym with her and she's wearing her shorts and tank top?" Dad asks me as he looks at me through the corner of his eye.

"She's planning on sweating." I tell him. "What does Veronica have to do with the Selection and marriage? You're not trying to get me to marry her too? She's like my brother." Dad laughs hard now.

"Never mind, you're a bit dense. You get that from me." He says before whispering into my ear what he means.

"Oh… no. She's like family to me. I don't ever remember looking at her like that." I tell him truthfully. "I grew up with her after all, I'm as close to her as I am with Quinn."

"I get it now. I'll make sure to explain to your mom. I had a friend like that when I grew up, but I found out on my 19th birthday and she actually liked me." He says a bit awkwardly. "That day didn't go well."

"So you friend zoned her?" I ask a bit amused and my dad gets confused. "Something Veronica told me. Normally a girl makes a guy a friend when he actually likes her."

"Yeah, it was something like that." He laughs a little bit. "I just was totally unaware of the how thing."

"Most of the time you are." I joke and dad just looks at me.

"Like you're the one to talk." My dad jokes back in the nasally voice as we reach the medical wing . "Took long enough, my face is hurting still."

"Sorry about that." My mood drops again and we walk in.

"I'm just proud my son can handle himself when he needs to." Dad says proudly. "Or protect his wife."

"How are you so sure I won't have to have a second selection?" I ask him. There has only been one time where the crown prince didn't find a wife in selection so he had a second one. "Just look at me. I'm not really a lady charmer or been around many girls that aren't my sister's friends."

"So Veronica doesn't count as a girl?" Dad asks when Doctor Steve comes over to us, so we stop walking.

"She's more of a man than most of the guards in this palace." I wave him off as dad laughs.

"Don't let Officer Avery hear you." He says before Doctor Steve comes up from his bow.

"Your majesty, May I lead you to a room and examine your nose?" Dad nods and we are lead to a room specially meant for the royal family to be examined in privacy by the doctors. Once in there, Dad sits in a chair and the doctor begins his examination. "It's broken alright." He comments. "I'm going to have to set it back in place and put a splint on it." He says slowly. "But the report is tonight, isn't it?" We both remind silent. "I can set it now and put on the splint afterward and get the swelling down as much as we can before then, but there will be bruising and it will hurt too." That's when there was a knock on the door before nurse comes in and curtsies before pulling in a tray with some tools and an ice bag.

"Your majesties." She greets with a smile.

"Thank you." We say together before the doctor washes his hands and pulls on gloves.

"Now, I'm going to inject some pain medicine into the side of your nose and it will numb up the area so it will be less painful than doing it straight." Doctor Steve explains. "Now, can you please explain to me what caused this?" He asks as he reaches for the needle off of the tray and then the pain medicine vile. Dad and I look at each out for a moment. What are we going to say? Mom will kill us if she found out we were boxing.

 **A little explanation. Some of you might ask why Maxon is boxing. So to clear things up it did state in elite that he's been getting stronger so he could stand up to his father. That's why I thought boxing was an okay choice and him still lifting weights so he can protect his family if needed to. And he doesn't liking fighting but there was a purpose to it in this.**


	4. Announcement

**Sorry about the wait. I have 16 girls. Over half way now and I'm excited. So as of the girls I need, bratty ones are always nice to have and maybe a tomboy. I want a girl outside of the box. Have fun. Chapter 7 will be the report Chapter, so submit!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the Selection**

 **Chapter 4: Announcement.**

We find ourselves laughing on our way to the makeup room. Somehow we got on the topic cameras. Something we both love. He likes the picture taking part and I like how the whole thing works how the camera copies the image perfectly. Then it leads to jokes.

"Photographers are very mean." I start off and dad stops laughing to hear the joke.

"How so?" He asks and I smirk.

"First, they frame you, then they shoot you, then hang you on the wall." I tell him and we both burst out in laughter.

"Did you come up with that on your own?" Dad is easy to relate with most of the time. I think it's because I'm the only son he has and I like most of the stuff he does.

"No I read it in one of the books I found in the library." I explain. "I didn't think I could come up with something that good." We get to where we need to be.

"Oh look at you two bounding, I take it you're feeling better, Joshua?" that's mom. We both freeze, not sure whether or not we should show our faces. Slowly we do and mom gasps. "Maxon Calix Schreave and Joshua Shalom Schreave, what did you two do?!" Mom's face flips from a happy one to a hard, scary one. Both of us run our hands throw our hair. I look at him nervously.

"We had some bounding time, like you suggested, and I now understand what his plan was. But we can talk about that later. We should get some make up on." Dad says with an overly sweet smile before walking over and holding her by her waist and kissing her. "Everything's fine, I promise America." He adds as he caresses her face. Dad, you're deep trouble now. Mom is unfazed by this and just stares into his face. "It's not something I can talk with you about here. It involves August and Georgina's help." That's when Mom's face relaxes.

"Okay, then I will expect an explanation tonight." She says as she removes herself from him and motions me to come over to him. "Are you okay? You have a black eye." She asks as she carefully touches it and I hold in a wince.

"I'm fine. Just a little accident." I assure her with a smile.

"I hate it when my little boy gets hurt." She half whines as she leads me into the room, leaving dad to follow. "I just don't like it." She says as she leads me to my normal chair and talks with my make up artists and I see dad watch her leave.

"I remember when she was worried about me when I got hurt." He says with a shake of the head.

"What happen?" I ask as I start poking the sides of the dark bruise. It should go down in a few days.

"You were born and you replaced me." He replies in a fake serious tone. I laugh at it.

"I've seen mom worry about you too." I state and dad just shakes his head.

"Well, her worry for me now only leads to a sleepless night." He says with a smirk. "Not that I don't…" I shake my head and cover my ears and dad stops and laughs.

"I'm just messing with you." He says before leaving me to myself. So I spend the time looking at the bruise forming partly on my eye. It's a little bit swallow at the moment, but makeup should cover the color just fine. A moment later, my makeup artist and her makeup show up and she does my makeup. I prefer not to wear this stuff, but the report is tonight and bruises are the last thing a prince and king need to have in an already struggling country. When I'm done I'm lead to the room we always do the report in and my mother walk right up to me and takes my face in her hands.

"She did a good job covering it." She says before touching it a little. "Does it hurt?" Yes it does, but if I tell her that she will push the story out of us.

"Just a little swollen." I tell her and she nods and pull her hands from my face and brings me into a hug and holds me tight.

"I hate seeing my little boy hurt." She says a little upset. "He's so delicate and fragile." I just hug her back and wait this out. She is going to hate it if she finds out that we did this to each other. When mom finally let's goes, we are called to our seats to begin.

"We start in three." Someone calls out and Mom is handed Mona and we find out seats. Quinn is standing talking to Kile right next to her seat as we get there.

"I'll talk with you more later." She says before he leaves.

"Oh, how is Kile doing?" Mom asks. Kile has been out on extra training with his dad for the last month.

"Good. Just swore and all." Quinn says before taking her seat.

"Gavril and Henry are here, we can start." Someone else calls out and the room goes quiet before the camera turns on and focuses on Henry Fadaye. Gavril just gave his son the roll of hosting the report, being that he's 65 years old now, but he's still an honorary guest to the report.

"Hello, Country of Illéa." Henry states off and I just act like this whole thing doesn't bored me. I get why we have to have the report, but there are much more important things that I could be doing right now that didn't involve sitting on TV and listening to my father and Henry talk back and forth about what's going on in the country and stuff. I could be reading files or organizing budgets for next month instead of sitting here looking pretty for the camera. It's the same almost every time for me. "Prince Joshua." I feel a hand on my arm and I see my father touched it on his way back to his seat. I look at him and he just glances to Henry. I look at him and he laughs and waves me over. "Prince Joshua, are you feeling a bit tired today?" He asks to cover up with my spacing out.

"Just a little bit." I say with a smile. I'm a little tired from today's workout, but it's not bad. "Had some things that I was working on earlier." Henry nods.

"Does any of those things have to do with the announcement you are making tonight?" He asks with a knowing smile. What announcement? I glance at my parents and both of them just smile. Do they want me to announce the selection now?!

"Go ahead." Dad calls out.

"There's a lot of work still left to be done." I state as I turn back to Henry. Right now, most of the entire country is watching me now. "I only just found out at the beginning of the week."

"So it's a work in progress." He says nicely. "I'm sure I'm not the only one dying to know what it is." He glances at the camera and winks. I thought dad was going to do this later, after the prep work is mostly done.

"I'm sure." I smile as if I'm not nervous. Then I take in a deep breath. "My father and mother both think it's time for me to start looking for a wife, Henry." His eyes seem to light up.

"Does that mean what we all think it means?" Henry asks a little too excited and I simply nod.

"I will be going through the process of finding my future wife through the selection." I state clearly. I can't believe I just said that. Why couldn't I have been told before the report came on? "Since I just found out about it, there will be some time before we can get the invitations out to all the eligible young ladies." I make sure it's clear. "But we aim to have the 35 ladies here at the beginning of spring."

"This is great news! Our prince is growing up." Henry speaks to the camera. "Soon he will find his wife and be ready to take the throne." He says before telling me good bye and signing off. I just turn, go back to my seat and give my parents a look. After the report is done, Dad walks over to Henry and laughs.

"You make it sound like I'm giving up the throne." He says.

"That's not what I meant." Henry says a bit caught off guard. "You are a wonderful king." This is when Gavril walks over and sets his hand on his son's shoulder.

"You just need to work on your wording, kid." Gavril tells him as I make my way over.

"Why didn't you tell me I was going to announce the selection tonight?" I ask my dad from behind him.

"I thought it would be better for you." He says before waving me off and talking to his older friend.

"You put me on the spot and I was nervous." I snap and all three of the turn and look at me. "Why can't you understand I hate talking in front of people?" My father glances as his friend and his son before telling them he would see them later and walks over to me and rests a hand on my shoulder and leads me out of the room silently. I think I just stepped out of line… Dad doesn't stop until we get to the lounge and he asks the guards to give us some space.

"Joshua." Dad starts off as he looks at the dormant fireplace. "Think about it." He says quietly as he leans his back against the mantle and looks at me. I just stare at him blankly.

"I have no idea why you wouldn't tell me about announcing the selection." I tell him. Dad sighs and looks at the window in the back of the room.

"It would have gotten you nervous if I told you beforehand. I proved that today between the meeting and the gym." I think over the words he says. Dad did warn me what they would ask me. But in the gym he asked me as I was focusing on something else and what I was able to get out he understood.


	5. Picking Sisters

**So here is the next chapter. Update on the Ladies, I have 18. Over half way, Yay! 17 to go. And I would love more girls with unique hair. I got a lot of long haired girls. So maybe short, a rare color/ dyed hair? I don't know, and I can't wait to see the rest of the girls.**

 **Ps. I did change my name.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the Selection Series**

 **Chapter 5: Picking Sisters**

The next Monday, we already started getting mail. It seems like every time I'm walking in the halls a maid or butler has a smirk on their lips as they hold a stack of heavy looking papers. I just began walking with my head down or in a budget file because I can't stand the looks from the staff here, most of the time I end up walking into people while doing this. But it's better than seeing the smirks.

"Earth to Josh, you can't walk like that forever." I look up to Quinn's voice next to me.

"Why? It's better this way." I tell her before I notice another maid with a hop in her step once she noticed us. I groan.

"Because you already have a bruise on your face. Knowing you, you'll get more." She points out as I shake my head. "What did dad say after all to get mom to calm her jets anyway?" I can't help but laugh.

"Oh that. We were working on something in the library and I tripped and dad tried helping me and ended up tripping to." I tell her with a little smile. "I don't think she believed it, but she hasn't said anything." Quinn nods.

"Probably pitting you because of your selection." She says with a laugh. "I'm so glad I'm not in your shoes." And she has to boast.

"What did you say to even get them to agree anyway? I suggested Mona and Dad just laughed at me." I ask her a bit annoyed. I watch Quinn scoff and cross her arms pride-fully.

"Well, I just stated that the people wouldn't be able to handle much more change right now. The 8's just became 7's and they are still trying to adjust. Maybe if it was 7 becoming 6's maybe. But not 8's." Quinn says looking over to me. She's a little taller thanks to her heels today. "Plus, you are more… thoughtful?" She says with a little smirk.

"Sure, that's a good thing." I shake my head and she just laughs.

"I didn't mean to insult you. Gosh, one thing you really need to learn is to not take things too personal. You're going to deal with a lot of crap. So you should learn it fast." She says before we get to the room where today's budget meeting is being held. Quinn opens the door and walks in first. The room only has a few delegates and they stand up and bow. "Oh no need, It's just us." Quinn says with a laugh like she wasn't just correcting me. Maybe she's right. The delegates laugh as I put the file on the table.

"How are you doing with the selection so far, Prince Joshua?" I look up to the older lady sitting to my left. Her name is Donna Rathberry.

"Oh.." I state a little caught off guard and Quinn laughs.

"He's been trying to hide from the smirks and the teasing staff all week." She says clapping her hands on my shoulder. The older woman smiles.

"I understand." She says softly. "Change can be a big thing." Mrs. Rathberry says and she places a hand on my hand.

"And don't worry about seeing us all the time." I turn and look at the middle aged delegate. His name is John Graner. He's kind of a carefree man. "We know you'll be busy." He winks and I'm just look down at my file.

"This is more important than some selection." I tell him without looking up. "The new 7's need some help and that's the main priority." There some laughter at that and Mrs. Rathberry just rubs her hand on mine.

"Come on. If I had 35 girls, I wouldn't show up to work at all." Another one of the delegates states. Sounds like Mark Frame. He's more of a prideful man if you ask me.

"But this is Prince Joshua, he lives here." Mr. Graner states with a laugh. Where's dad? He said he would be here. I clear my throat out of nerves and the door opens and four more delegates walk in and take their seats. I don't think I want to run a meeting without dad here. I glance at my watch as both me and Quinn are quietly greeted. He's late. Dad is never late. I look at Quinn and she is chatting nicely to one of the new delegates that entered the room. I glance over my file. It's the basic outline of today's meeting with the numbers and charts. I glance at my watch again. Dad, where are you and why aren't you here? I don't hear any alarm. So no rebel attack right now. I take in a deep breath as I stand next to the table and look over the file. He's late.

"True, now can we get to work?" Quinn says with authority, I look to my watch, ten minutes late, and then I look to her. She smiles at me before taking her seat. Guess we will need to start without him… Everyone looks to me since I'm standing up with a file.

"I… don't know where my dad is." I state slowly before pulling my seat closer and sitting. "So, I guess I'm going to start…" I clear my throat and pull out the charts and passing them to Quinn and she just hands them around the table. "These are the overall gross income of the last two months…" How am I going to do this?

000

I stand in dad's office staring at him as he reads through files. He didn't show up at all. My dad was a no show to the very meeting he set up and left me to do the whole thing by myself. Yes Quinn was there, but it was like she really wasn't. All she did was counter what my input was. Then I had to go to the meeting with the French delegate on import control. After that I had to attended the new soldiers arrival and again say a few things… without him! So now I'm standing in front of my father's desk, arm crossed glaring at him as he acts like he did nothing wrong.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to say something?" He asks without even looking up from his reading.

"You ditched work today." I state evenly. He doesn't even look up. "Why?" he doesn't say anything. "Dad!" I snap and he finally looks at me under his glasses.

"I take it the meetings didn't go well." He states almost sympathetically. I sigh.

"They were fine, I guess. It's not like I ruined the budget and our alliance with France if that's what you mean." I mumble annoyed that he would think that. He nods and looks back at his work.

"Oh, then everything's fine." He says without a care.

"Hey! You left me alone. Couldn't you have told me you weren't going to work today?" I ask him upset. Dad just shrugs before sipping his coffee.

"You had it under control." He says simply. What? I was panicking and he just left me to… read about cameras?

"Barely. Quinn was driving me insane. Bernard tried lying to me and the soldiers.." I groan and dad finally sets his book down and looks at me. "You left me by myself to read."

"And you still handled things on your own. If I told you I wanted a day off you would have panicked more. You did a good job being by yourself… with Quinn picking on you." He adds with a smile. "She really mad you fight your ideas, didn't she?" I just look at him. So it was all a test… He gave me test. Great.. He's testing me now.

"Are you going to keep these 'tests' up during the selection?" I ask him before sighing and taking a seat in front of the desk. That's when he laughs.

"Maybe. My dad gave me a lot of extra work to do during mine." Dad says giving me his full attention. "Part of it you would be begging for a break from the girls…other part you would be wanting a break from work." He jokes, but I don't laugh.

"The caste reform is the most important thing right now." I state firmly. "Our relations rely on it going smoothly." Dad only smiles.

"I had similar thoughts myself, but finding a wife and having an heir is important for the future." He points out and I try not to react. I'm not ready to think about that…

"Yes, but that's down way in the future. You even said yourself you don't plan on dying on me yet." I remind him. If he died I would not be ready at all to take the thrown.

"True, but you still need find love." Dad counters. "You really don't want an arranged marriage. I know some people that had to go through that." He sighs as if he's remembering something.

"I'm only 19. Most parents would want me to focus on their son's career." I put out and dad just waves me off. "But I'm a prince, aren't I?" I ask as I look at the fireplace.

"Yes you are. Now, do you want to see them?" I turn back to him and I see some files in his hand.

"See who?" I ask almost dumbly… Oh the selection forms. "Ah… I don't know." I state running my hand through my hair. My dad laughs.

"Here." He just hands them to me and I just pause. "It's okay; it might help calm you down." Dad adds and I just look down. Sena Throp is what the cover reads. Slowly I open it and I'm greeted with a picture of a dark skinned lady with a beautiful smile. She's from St. George and she's 18. I glance through her file and see some of the questions Veronica added. Cat or dog she chose dog. Favorite color is green. Basic stuff. I look at the next file. Dezsne Spencer. I open her file and see a friendly face. She has light brown, blondish hair and soft blue eyes. She's from St. George as well. Guess St. George are fast with their submissions. Again I flip to the new questions and find myself smiling at her answers. Her favorite color is dark red orange and she love home cooked food… Home cooked food? I don't know if I've had much southern home cooked food. I hope it's good. Maybe I'll ask for some. But then we would need to bring actually southern cooks here. I wonder how that would be. Or I can take one of the southern ladies to the kitchen and she can teach me. That would be fun. I glance at her file again. Fight or flight? Of course Veronica would ask that. Dezsne put fight. Interesting. Same with Veronica, I think these two ladies would get along very well. "Liking her already?" I look up to see dad right next to me, reading over my shoulder.

"Woah, when did you get there?" I ask stunned. He just laughs.

"Been here for a while. You've been smiling." Dad points out and my smile drops. "Dezne is a unique name. Am even saying it right?" Dad laughs. I look to the front of the file. Dez-nee.

"No, Dezsne." I correct. "How many ladies have names like this, dad?" I ask and he shrugs.

"I don't know all the names of the people that live here. I tried learning once, but your mother told me it was really impossible to learn all the names in a providence let alone 35 of them." I nod in understanding. Over 3000 girls in one providence, imagine the families that they belong to... "Breath, you're not expecting to learn them all… even though you could." I shake my head no.

"I have more important things to worry about." I state before looking at the next file. Another Lady from St. George. "How many of these are actually here?" I ask as I skim through.

"About 6 maybe 7." He says and I look up.

"But I always see maids and…" I question and dad just laughs hard. So I stop.

"Thousand." He says in the mist of his laughter and I take in a deep breath. "And there are only 35 drawn."

"And where are the rest of them put?" I ask a little drain all of a sudden. Dad shrugs.

"I guess there put in storage until someone throws them away. My father never told me." He says and I just hang my head.

"So you waist a lot of paper on a selection?" I ask out of breath.

"Do you have a better way? Not all the girls have computers." He has a point. I just shake my head and hand him the files.

"I think I'm going to go hide and process all of this. Tell mom I'm eating by myself." I state before walking out of the office with my hands in my pockets. What have my parents gotten me into?


	6. Planing and Girls

**Wow, 9 Ladies LEFT. That's exciting. Makes me a little uneasy looking at all submissions and trying to figure out how Josh is going to handle them. I think SYOC Authors get a little bit about how the princes of Ilea, and Eadlyn, feel with all those people. I can't wait to start planning how each lady is going to impacted Josh and vies versa. Now if there is any ideas of what you want to see in the story, either will your lady or just in general just let me know!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the Selection seires.**

 **Chapter 6: Planning and Girls.**

I pace back and forth again as I try and think. It's already a week before the report where we are announcing the ladies. That means two weeks before the ladies roam the halls and I have to try and… get to know them. That's going to be a little hard. I huff as I walk. The rooms need to be finished, the food is going to be tripled than normal, and it's not going to be quiet for much longer. I think that and the cost of food is going to be the most bothersome to me. I shake my head. Dad did says the moment Quinn was born there has been funds put to side for just this… but will it be enough? I sigh now. He didn't say how much was in this fund and I only know part of the costs. Mom and dad made sure I didn't know the costs of the improvements and all that. Much to my dismay…

"Josh, knock it off and get over here." I stop and look at Veronica. She's in the middle of looking at colors that some maids are showing her. I push my thoughts back and walk over. "This is for room 12, what do you think?" She asks as the maid holds two curtains. One white with red strips and the other with green.

"It's by the garden." The maid states and I shrug. I'm not a color person and really what if the lady doesn't like it? Give her a new room.

"I.. don't know." I tell her honestly. "What if the lady doesn't like it? I don't want your hard work to be a waste." I state and Veronica huffs.

"That's why I put the questions on the forms. Tomboy or girly girl, and favorite color. We can place the girls in each room base on that." She says annoyed before choosing the green one and the maid bows and scurries off. "You're supposed to be choosing." She says with her arms crossed. Oh, now she's mad at me.

"I'm sorry. I'm just panicking." I tell her looking towards the ground and she groans.

"Come on, it's not going to be that bad. They're just girls. Quinn and I will have them covered." She says once relaxing her arms. "It's not like they are going to eat you or something." My eyes widen at that.

"What are you talking about?" I panic. 35 girls all want to eat me, that wouldn't be good.

"Really?! Joshua, they're human. Not some bug or parasite." Veronica says as she hits me in the back of the head. "Don't even entertain that thought. Knowing you, you'll panic about that." She mumbles as I rub my head.

"Easy for you to say, I haven't been around much of the people in Illéa." I protest and she just rolls her eyes.

"And how are they different than the dignitaries that come here? They are people too." She makes a good point. "And besides, it's not my fault you haven't been around your own people. You chose to shut yourself in here." I roll my eyes at that comment. Rare for me to do. She just shakes her head as another butler comes by with a plate of food. "At least help me with sampling theses. It's not going to kill you, will it?" I groan and look at the little samples on the plate. What if a lady has a food allergy? I don't want anyone getting sick or an allergy reaction here.

"Sure, I guess it won't kill me." I tell her before we try to food and tell him the food is good and he leaves. I look at Veronica who is now looking at a list of things. "Are we done yet?"

"What? Are you hungry?" She jokes as she skims her list. I don't respond. To be honest, I don't think I can eat more. That was the third sample today and I don't want dinner now. "Well, it looks like we can stop things for now. Where is your sister anyway? I didn't expect to be here all day."

"I don't know. She might be off with you know who." I suggest and my friend groans and shakes her head in disgust.

"You really think she would ditch me… for that?" She asks in a gross out tone. I only shrug. It would make sense, he just got home about two weeks ago and he was really tired. So it works. She just shakes her head again and shoves the list pad in her pocket. "We can be done. I'll let her finish the rest of the decorations." She mumbles as she walks out of the dining room and I just follow her hard stride. She must think it's gross that my sister likes to hang out with her brother. I don't get it though. It's just what we do… maybe a little different since Quinn has a crush on Kile… but I think everyone knows that…well expect for Kile himself. But who knows.

"Where are you taking me?" I ask as she seems to be running in the halls again. She just throws her hands back at me and I take that as to be quiet. So I just follow her. Around us are busy maids and butlers running around working fast on getting the palace ready for the ladies that are coming. I hope they all like it. Some are really going to have a hard time adjusting here and I am really at a lost to help them. I've been here all my life so I really don't know if I will be of much help.

"Josh." I hear right as I am inches from Veronica. I stop dead and she just looks at the guards in the garden. General Ledge is commanding the new troops on protocol. "Pay attention. I want to hear what he's telling them so I know." I just look at her.

"Won't you're dad tell you?" I ask and she hushes me with a spiteful look.

"He was told not too cause of last time." She mumbles. Last time she wasn't with me during a rebel attack, she got caught in a fight with a rebel and got a cut in the arm. Mrs. Woodwork was so upset with her for fighting instead of running. Now there is a little scar near her elbow that her mom wants her to cover. But Veronica doesn't listen. After a few minutes, I get more stressed. There is no way I can handle taking this in right now. Mom always says we need to also rely on other so we don't get too stressed out.

"Um.. Veronica, I don't want to even think about this right now." I try and whisper and she glances at me. "I already got money and cost swimming around, I don't want to try and figure out security too." I grimace. I really hate doing so, but I have to stop it all together before I start freaking out about something like … security…She just looks at me for a moment before sighing.

"Fine. As you wish, my worry-wart of a prince. We'll bug your dad then." I turn my head to the side as she just walks towards dad's office. What does she mean by that? Isn't he busy right now? It takes me a minute before I run after her.

"Why do you want to bug my dad? I think he's busy with something right now." I tell her and she shrugs.

"Does it matter? Anyway, how many girls have you seen so far?" I narrow my eyes at her question.

"Girls? What girls?" She sighs at me and gives me a look that says I should know better. "Oh the ladies?" and she nods. "They're ladies, Veronica. Not girls. It's not polite…"

"Do you think I care?" She cuts me off. "It's me. I'm not calling them Ladies. No matter how much you tell me." She deadpans and I just shake my head.

"Fine, have it your way." There's no fighting with her at all. Not like this at least. "And I've read a few. There is just too many at actually go through it all. You know what I mean?" She laughs.

"There is like a million girls trying to get here right now, it's not even funny." I hang my head at the thought. She really had to say that right now. It's not a million ladies. I know that, but I just can't imagine even close to that number. "What not enough for you?" I shake my head. "Not used to that attention from commoners". I look at her at that.

"What do you mean by that?" I ask as I narrow my eyes at her in question.

"You're always flirted with by other princesses and duchess from other countries." She points out to me and I shrug.

"That's normal though." I tell her and she laughs. "They just want political advantages." And that makes her laugh more and I get confused.

"They must love the clueless prince of Illéa." She laughs hard and I turn my head to the side. "Geez you think you might need a babysitter with some of the crazier girls." Veronica looks at me now. "They like you because of your manly charms." Manly charms? "You would think a prince would notice the things that make him attractive." She mumbles.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I understand I'm handsome." I tell her as I feel my cheeks heat up.

"But you're not cocky about it or anything; expect trying to prove a point… like three weeks ago." She smirks at me… she heard that. I look to the side. "Come on, what I'm trying to say it that you don't pay attention to girls or how they look at you. It's more than position." That's when I hear her mumble clueless prince again as we get to dad's office door. She knocks. "It's me and Josh. He's stressing… again." She sighs the last part as she looks at me.

"Come on it." I hear my dad call out to us and Veronica just opens the door and walks right in. My dad is currently sitting at his desk and typing on his computer. Seems like he's been doing that a lot lately. I wonder if he's okay… "What's bothering you know, son?" My dad asks as he looks up at us.

"Everything." Veronica mumbles and I give her a look.

"Not everything. I'm just trying to process where all the money is coming from and for the ladies rooms and how we're going to situate them into their rooms." I correct and earn an eye roll from my friend.

"Didn't mom and I tell you not to worry about it?" My father sighs and sets his glasses on the table. "Most of the girls would just love being here. During my selection only four girls wanted different rooms and it was easy to do that." He says and I just sit down on the couch.

"But what I don't get is why was there money sitting somewhere and we didn't use it for the caste removal project." I point out and both people in the room sigh.

"Because the money wasn't for that, dummy." Veronica says with a hit to my head.

"Hey, don't do that. I'm really asking." I tell her as I cover my head and dad just sighs. "We finally were able to start the removal and we could have started it years ago."

"But people would have wanted to know where the money came from and telling them it was for your selection won't have gone over well. This is something every caste waits for and the parents wouldn't have it." My father points out as he rubs his temples. "I didn't even put up this much of a fight." He says before trailing off on something neither Veronica or I can hear. I'm really stressing dad out with this. "Now, does that calm you down?" I slowly nod and look at the new filing cabinets in the corner of the room. Thousand of girls… "Look at me Joshua." I snap out of it and notice Veronica is gone now. Must have went to the soldiers to spy on them again.

"Yes?" I asks and dad just looks at me with a calm face.

"I think this might help…" He takes in a deep breath and folds his hands in front of him. "The selection helps the girls and the providence economy as well as help you find a wife. It's really not just about you dating 35 girls at once." He states. "Each girl has their reason for signing up. Most of the lower castes it really is for money. Like you know, the families are poor and as much as we would like, we can't give everyone money right now. The food system your mom is leading is helping a lot with getting them a boost, but most of them need the money. Others might be escaping something beyond their control at home too." I listen to him talk and I think I'm beginning to understand better. The selection is more to help boost the people and help them out where they need it. And dad's right, we can't give money to everyone. Taking one girl from each providence will not only increase her family income, but they will be able to spend more which helps out the businesses there. Then that leads to a financial boom in the providences. "Joshua." I shake my head and look at him again. "Do you understand now?" I nod firmly.

"Yes, then my next question is… how do I make the ladies feel comfortable while they're here? Most of them won't be used to this life and…" My dad shakes his head and I stop talking.

"You won't be the only one helping the adjustment period. All the staff here is for you." Dad says as there is a knock at the door. "But if you are just yourself, you will figure out how to work things out with the girls." He says before looking at the door. "That must be James." He says and I go and open the door. Sure enough, the older man with graying hair is James. He bows to me and walks in with his daughter trailing him.

"Good evening Prince Joshua." She greets me with a curtsy. I watch the bun on her head bob a little bit before she stands up again. Her long brown hair is always in a bun when I see her. Which makes me wonder how long her hair really is.

"Good evening, Ms. Sophia." I respond with a head bow to her and she just gives me a gently smile of hers. She normally is with her father when he comes to the palace; I believe she is interested in becoming a political member soon. "You are here assisting your father, I presume?" She nods her head as our fathers greet each other.

"Yes, he would like me to take notes about the meeting so he can review them when we get back home." She says professionally as she pulls her blue blazer right. That's just like Ms. Sophia. Always professionally and ready to work.

"Very good plan." I turn to my dad and they are both watching us. "What?" The fathers laugh a little bit.

"Nothing, if you would like to stay for the meeting you may…" My dad says with a grin and I just look at him confused. Something's going on here and I don't think I like it.

"Currently, I would be a distraction. So I should go and finish up some preparations." I state pointing behind me and the fathers try and hold in a laugh.

"For the selection?" Ms. Sophia asks as I turn to look at my finger. I nod and put it down. Why where they laughing?

"Yes." I state quickly. "There is a lot I'm still trying to figure out, like rooms." I mumble the last part. She nods.

"Must be very stressful, but don't worry. The young ladies will be fine. You just need to relax a little bit and it should end well." She says calmly and I nod. "Now take a breath." I half laugh as I do as I'm told. "Good, now if you need help I'm just a phone call away." She says with another curtsy and I nod and smile.

"Sure, If Veronica can't figure it out without breaking something you will be the first to call." I tell her before slipping out the door and she just smiles.

"Then have a good evening, Prince Joshua." I just wave her off and walk towards my room. At least she's nice and understanding… maybe I just need to figure out how to relax…


	7. Authors Note

So, I need four ladies left. Here is an update on them:

Sakura Schlutz from Allens, Five

Reserved Angeles

Aztec Vember from Atlin, Four

Zanches Flech From Baffin, Three

Juliette Rozen From Bankston, Two

Celaena Eyllwe from Belcourt, Six

Oakley Weaver from Bonita, Seven

Makara Ellis from Calgary, Seven

Charlotte Dulane from Carolina, Two

Sophia Newsome from Clermont, Two

Wynter Roberson from Columbia, Seven

Dawn Houdston from Dakota, Three

Alexina Pike from Denbeigh, Three

Shuu Avalonic from Dominca, Two

Sabrina Archer from Fennley, Two

Catrina Holt from Hansport,Seven

Ameena Khurj from Honduragua, Three

Leila Moon from Hundson, Two

Xena Mahone from Kent, Seven

Ava Carter from Labrador, Two

Renna Coleston from Lakedon, Seven

Stella Eurena from Likely, Four

Jaraina Devette from Ottaro, Three

Wren Halloway from Paloma, Seven

Ariana Chase from Panama, Five

Christina Gardden from Sota, Six

Dezsne Spencer from St. George, Six

Elizabeth Jones from Sumner, Four

Echo Snow-Allen from Waverly, Three

Courtney-Alexandra Ivy Wayne from Whites, Two

Aenwyn Le Touraneu from Zuni, Seven

The providences that I need are Yukon, Tammins, Sonage and Midston. I need more middle castes and girly girls.

Thank you so much and the next chapter is the Report so I need those ladies.


End file.
